‘Masters of Universe’ Movie Has the Power, a Release Date, and No Director

If you ever bellowed those words in the mirror while holding a cardboard tube aloft like a sword shortly after giving yourself a DIY bowl-cut, you were probably a fan of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. That, or a kid with extremely weird hobbies. Either way, the series of comics, cartoons and collectibles remains a cherished part of ’80s nostalgia, and as we have learned time and again over the past few years, no corner of Generation X’s childhood is safe from the plunderers at the major movie studios.

A He-Man reboot has been in the works for some time now, but today brings a new pair of developments for the long-gestating project. For starters, pseudonymous director McG has been ousted from the captain’s chair, parting ways with the production after first signing on at the start of 2016, with Kellan Lutz rumored to take up He-Man’s sword and shield. But a news item from Entertainment Weekly updates the film’s status to ‘looking,’ as McG has vacated the director’s seat, though Lutz’s chances at the lead role have not been entirely dashed.

The personnel change-up hasn’t shaken Sony’s faith in the project, however. Quite the opposite, in fact; the studio responded to losing their director by setting a hard release date for the film on December 18, 2019. Maybe this will light a fire under the studio’s hindquarters and get them to redouble their efforts to wrangle a star and director. I’m no professional, but Sony, one tip — Willem Dafoe for Skeletor. This is a no-brainer.